Clever Lies and Grim Goodbyes
by himitsuuu
Summary: This is the sequel to Cat and Mouse This may have a few chapters unlike the first one which was originally a oneshot. RoadXAllen or AllenXRoad.
1. Contemplating

Complications

Contemplating

"Allen!"

Road's eyes widened and shot towards the direction of the shout.

"Allen! Where are you?"

She heard a rustle of branches not to far from where she and Allen were standing. Too close for comfort. Road stared longingly into Allen's eyes. A look of remorse was clearly making its way to his features. Road broke away from Allen and took a step back, her door materialized behind her. Allen grasped her arm, trying to hold her gaze but at the sound of hurried footsteps she glanced away frantically. Roads eyes shifted from Allen to the woods and back to him again before she turned and rushed though the doors. She gave Allen one last glance before the doors shut between them. She was gone.

"There you all Allen! I got worried." Lenalee said. Allen spun around, clearly flustered.

"W-what id you come looking for me for?" he asked her sheepishly, rubbing the back o his head. Lenalee tilted her head to the side.

"Well, you were gone for an awfully long time…" she stated. "What exactly were you doing?" Allen felt his face heat up.

"Nothing1 I was just thinking is all!" Allen felt a nudge in his right pocket. He looked down just in time to avoid Lenalee's suspicious look. Allen stared at hid pocket for a second more before reaching into it to pull out its contents. Timcanpi sat snuggly in his hand, shifting groggily around until he fluttered up to land on Allen's head.

'_Could Tim have…no, he was asleep, there's no way he could have saw Road and I…'_

"Allen? Lets get back to camp, we should get some rest." Lenalee suggested. Allen nodded and gave her a reassuring smile, which sure enough did the trick to wipe away the worried look Lenalee had.

xxx

Road entered her home hastily, her heart still pounding from adrenaline. Wait, why did she care if they got caught? Well Allen might have been upset but it would serve Lenalee right to see Allen and her together. Sooner or later Lenalee needed to discover the difference between what was hers, and what was Road's. And Allen was defiantly Road's. She would make sure of that. But it would take a lot more than a few sour thoughts about a girl who didn't matter to get road down today.

She pranced through the dining area just in time to see Tyki pass by with that stupid book in his hand. Then again, if it wasn't for him and that book, that oh so "sweet" moment with Allen (as skin would say) would have never happened. So road, being in the almost sickeningly good mood she was inn, jumped into Tyki's arms. She giggled at his expression, which was a mix between confusion and amusement.

"What was that for?" he questioned.

"No reason! I'm just happy!!" Road watched Tyki examine her mud encrusted shoes, which, before her 'journey' were spotless and shiny.

"Where exactly did you go?" Tyki asked again.

"Oh that's nothing Tyki I was just walking around." She covered.

"And this?" he said as he pulled a white hair off her black blouse. Road masked her shock before Tyki looked back at her.

"I was just messing with some older people." She shrugged.

"When will you learn to respect your elders?" Road laughed at his nonchalant attitude. She knew he didn't care who she killed as long as it wasn't one of his friends.

"We'll I was bored and they were in my way!" she said defiantly. She always was a good liar. Tyki shrugged his masculine shoulders indifferently before leaving Road to breathe a sigh of relief behind his back. She was off the hook.

xxx

_It's been three days since that day with Road. Did I really kiss her? I know she's the enemy, and a bit on the nefarious side but its like I couldn't help it. It almost felt like a dream…_

"Oi! Moyshi, get your ass moving we're going on a mission." Kanda jeered as he passed Allen in one of headquarters many corridors. Allen hadn't noticed he stopped walking. But he pushed away his previous thoughts to focus on his upcoming mission. Kumoi was sipping away at what seemed to be coffee when they entered his office. Lenalee and Miranda were waiting patiently in front of is desk.

"Ah there you two are. You all have a mission in Mexico this time. Sinkholes have been re- occurring in various places in a remote town. Sometimes more than one at a time. We believe this may be the cause of innocence. You guys have to go check it out." Kumoi informed the group of exorcists.

"Why do we need four people? I can do this mission myself." Kanda

"Oh Kanda there you go again with your unnecessary comments." Kumoi sighed. Kanda set a fierce glare to Kumoi who looked unfazed by it as if it happened often. But non-the less, shooed them out of his office to do, as he said, 'work'.

"I've never been to Mexico! What about you Miranda?" Lenalee asked.

"I've never really been anywhere…" Miranda responded meekly as they made their way out of headquarters, their finder leading them on.

xxx

Road was playing with one of her ragged dolls in the garden and thinking of Allen of course. But her thoughts were interrupted by a previous conversation with Tyki.

_Flashback_

"_Road I've never seen you this happy for no reason" Tyki said suspiciously. "what are you thinking about?"_

_Road was tire of lying to Tyki but she was scared of the outcome if she told him about Allen. Its not like she didn't already know he was an exorcist. _

"_Road?"_

"_Hm?" she muttered dazed by her thoughts._

"_You didn't answer my question." He reminded her._

"_Oh…what?" Tyki sighed and repeated his question. Without thinking, Road blurted out Allen's name. _

"_You mean that exorcist?" he inquired. Road nodded sheepishly. "Road we've been through this haven't we? 'Nothing will come out of a love between an exorcist and a Noah.'" He lectured. Road mouthed along with him. She's heard that line to many times before, and not only from Tyki and Lulubell. It seemed like everyone was on her back._

"_I know you've told me that a million times. I get it!" she snapped moodily. Tyki shrugged and walked away. He never made much of a lecturer. He was much to laid back._

'_Your wrong Tyki' she thought to herself. 'Something will come out of this love…I hope.'_

_Flashback End_

Road scowled to her self. "Stupid Tyki…" she mumbled to her self. She ceased her playing when she heard someone's footsteps gradually get louder until they stopped completely. A long shadow passed over Road's small body, shielding her from the suns warm rays. At the head of the shadow there seemed to be an outline of a top hat. Road smiled.

"Tyki." She greeted politely ignoring her bitter thoughts from earlier. She could never really stay mad at him for anything. Road loved her family as much as she loved Allen.

"Road, its time to go after some innocence." He stated.

"Really? Where are we going his time?"

"Mexico."

"Sounds like fun." Road chuckled darkly.


	2. Conflict

3

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction." Kanda seethed. The poor finder only nodded in response fearing for his life at the moment. The exorcists had seemed to be wandering in a desert looking for a town to no prevail. After what seemed like forever, they came across a small town. The dirt roads throughout it were empty and silent. Not a soul seemed to inhabit the place. Other than that some corners of the buildings seemed to have sunk into the ground and the rest were halfway underground.

"Wow it's so empty." Allen said aloud. He observed an enormous tree growing next to a building. It towered over the building and its branches stretched out giving a large amount

"That's because everyone left." An unknown voice commented. Behind them stood a young girl who looked about 12 years old. She tilted her head, causing her chocolate brow hair to swish to one side. "Who the hell are you?" she added. The group of exorcists was taken aback by this seemingly innocent girl's rudeness. Looks can be deceiving.

"Alejandra! You can't talk to people like that! And what are you doing out here? I told you it was dangerous!" A woman stepped out of the house to scold the small girl.

"They're not people they're strangers! Besides I was being careful." Alejandra protested.

"Ay Alejandra." The woman said while shaking her head before rattling of some Spanish. The girl known as Alejandra crossed her arms and went inside the house. "I'm so sorry about her she has a bit of an attitude from time to time. My name is Maria, and I take it you all are lost? I can direct you to the next town if you'd like. This probably isn't a place you'd want to stay for long. As you can see, all the inhabitants who used to live her are gone now."

"Oh no we're not lost we were looking for this place." Lenalee said.

"I think we might be able to solve your sinkhole problem." Allen added. Maria's eyes widened.

"P-please come in!" she stuttered. Inside it looked like a small restaurant. There was what looked like a bar with stools and booths along the walls. Some tables were set up in the middle as well. "You must be hungry." Maria stated.

Allen's hand shot up in the air. "I am!" he announced.

"Of course you are moyashi." Kanda muttered. Allen glared at Kanda; though it wasn't even close to the type of glare that Kanda could emit.

"Well we don't usually have visitors so we don't have much of a selection…" Maria intervened.

"Is all right anything will be fine!" Allen told her cheerfully. He was most likely happy to gain another meal before he fought akuma. A few minutes passed before yet another young woman came in.

"Hello I'm Isabella and I'll be you server." she stated as she set down a number of dishes on their table, as if she knew of Allen's ferocious appetite. "My sister told me you could fix our…problem?" she asked. Her hazel eyes glistened with hope. Maria, who was sitting across the room

"Wew we wah oping-" Allen started with his mouth stuffed with food.

Lenalee cut him off with a look of disapproval. Allen shrunk away from her look and swallowed hastily, causing him to choke. Isabella came back with a tall glass of water that Allen gulped down quickly. After he was finished, he set down the glass victoriously and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Isabella stifled a giggle behind her hand. Miranda and Kanda remained silent. Miranda stared at the outside world with worry of what would come of them if they were to fall through one of the sinkholes. Kanda sat back and tuned everyone else out. All that pointless talking was of no use. They came for the innocence not a friendly chat and a free meal.

"Uh anyway what I was trying to say was, we're hoping that we can. We just need to hang around a bit and witness one for our selves." Allen explained.

Isabella didn't get a chance to respond before a shriek rang through the small café.

"Maria!" Alejandra gasped. She shot through a doorway that led outside the café. Isabella rushed after her followed by the exorcists. They found Alejandra and Isabella trying to pull their sister out of the sinkhole.

"A-at least it's only up to my knees." Maria said with exhaust.

There were multiple yelps from the girls when the sinkhole jerked Maria deeper into the ground. Worry shown in Maria's eyes when she noticed she was now up to her waist in dirt. With one last desperate tug Alejandra lost her balance and fell back on her butt. A hand was placed on her shoulder. Through the blur of her anxious tears Alejandra saw Allen's determined features. Lenalee helped Alejandra to her feet and sent the two sisters inside for safety. With his right hand, Allen griped Maria's arm and pulled as hard as he could Lenalee who latched onto Allen's waist pulled as well. But the more they struggled the more the sinkhole yanked at the unfortunate Maria. The sinkhole dragged Allen and Lenalee forward until they plunged into the sand as well. Miranda and Kanda lunged forward to grab them but as quickly as the sink hole appeared it vanished and was replaced with solid ground once more.

They landed in a heap on a cold dirt floor. All three of them searching for something or someone familiar. Hearing scuffling a few feet away from her, Maria fumbled through the pockets of her apron frantically. Her fingers grasped a small box of matches. With her heart beating wildly with fear of what she would find, Maria lit the match with one quick gesture. She held it towards where she heard the noises and with a swift intake of breath her match flung into the air.

"Maria?" a voice inquired.

"Allen! I-you frightened me" Maria stammered while lighting another match. "Is Lenalee with you?" she asked

"I'm over here." Called an exhausted Lenalee. Maria waved the math in the direction of the voice. Lenalee was rubbing the back of her head "Are you guys alright?" she asked.

"I think I'm alright except my arm hurts a little." Maria commented. Lenalee and Allen moved closer to the light to examine Maria's arm. Maria sucked in her teeth. "The match is about to go out." She proclaimed.

"Hold on a second." Allen said. Lenalee and Maria watched as he walked away. They heard faint scuffling and then an 'A-ha!' Allen re-appeared with something that looked like a club. "Light this." He suggested as he held out the wooden club to Maria. The wood sizzled and after a few seconds combusted.

The group examined their surroundings and saw they were in what looked like to be a cave. To their right was a dark wide tunnel that led to what looked to lead towards a dim light.

"Let's take a look at that arm." Lenalee suggested. Maria lifted her arm to the light of their makeshift torch.

"That looks deeper than it felt." Maria said.

"We're going to need to wrap that up before you loose too much blood." Allen told them. He was about to rip off part of his sleeve but Maria prohibited him from doing so.

"You can take part of my apron." She stated. Allen nodded and tore off a thin strip at the bottom of her apron and proceeded to wrap it around the cut.

"So Maria, what made you and your sisters stay in the town when everyone else left?" Allen asked as he tied a knot on her bandaged arm.

"Well this small town was found by our great great grandfather who was traveling and got lost during a small sand storm. After the storm he found a river and plants and trees so he made a modest home out of it. You know that café you were in earlier."

Lenalee and Allen nodded remembering the layout of the house.

"My father, like his father before, was the mayor of that town. And after he, and mama died my sisters and I wanted to hold onto that part of our family's history. We could never leave it." Maria Explained.

"When did these sink holes begin to appear?" Lenalee asked as she helped Maria to her feet. The three of them walked to the entrance of the tunnel.

"About a couple months ago. The strange thing is the house was never directly affected by the sinkholes. Neither was the big tree next to our house." Maria stopped walking and looked up in the direction of a faint glow. "Look! That looks like the corner of a building. And another over here!" She exclaimed.

Sure enough there were building corners sticking out of the walls and ceiling of the tunnel and random objects littering the ground.

"This must be where everything went…" Lenalee concluded.

They walked on with Maria noting everything familiar to her and picking up the lost belonging of others. Allen was deep in thought when he heard a gasp from Maria's direction. He looked up to see the end of the tunnel led to a vast cave with massive tree roots running along the ground and some extending up the walls. A soft blue light coming from the top of the cave and the middle of the tree trunk lit up the barren cave. There was a soft ringing of a bell. The group looked to their right for the source and saw a pair of piercing green eyes set low to the ground. Allen waved the torch toward the eyes.

"Mew?" a small black cat trotted towards Maria.

"Shadow!" Maria cheered. She scooped the cat up into her arms and kissed it between its ears. The cat thrashed around in her arms before it finally got away. "Well she never liked being picked up anyway…" Maria remarked.

"Well look who just showed up." A voice echoed through the cave.

Standing atop a root near the middle of the cave was Tyki. And sitting next to him was none other than Road. Roads eyes lingered on Lenalee a look of revolution passed by her features before she surveyed Allen as if he broke some unspoken law.

"Allen." Road muttered darkly.


	3. Conclusion

**Elyse:** oh my god I am so so sorry. You guys have been favoriting me and putting me on watch and I feel so bad cause I never updated. Its not that I ignored you but I haven't been in the mood to write for so long and when I force myself it doesn't come out as good. I just needed a break from writing. I took much too long of a break. I'm sorry again!....I hope there aren't as many mistakes in this chapter as I spotted in my previous work. 0.0

"Maria!" Alejandra cried as she watched her older sister and two others disappear into the ground.

"Damn it." Kanda cursed. "When and where will another sinkhole come up?" Kanda seethed.

"I-I'm not sure, it-its all random there could be three one day, and none for the next week." Isabella squeaked with tears in her eyes.

"Bella…" Alejandra choked out. "No one ever comes back from there."

"Don't worry Ale I'm sure they'll b-be fine" Alejandra's sister replied trying to sound confidant as she blinked away the upcoming tears. Her attempt to calm her was unsuccessful as she felt the small girl shaking. She held onto Alejandra and guided her into the house leaving Kanda and Miranda behind to think of a plan of how to get to the others.

"We have to search for another sinkhole." Kanda decided. Miranda nodded shaking off her fears of what lied beneath the ground. For all she knew her friends could be in danger and her petty anxiety wouldn't stand in the way of finding them. She wouldn't let it.

"Lets go." Kanda said.

"Where are we going?"

"To look for sinkhole." He growled as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Miranda ran quickly into the house to tell the sisters.

"We're going to look for another sinkhole. But don't worry we know what we're doing and we'll bring back your sister no matter what it takes" she said with a look of pure determination. Alejandra looked up at her with so much hope in her eyes Miranda's heart nearly broke. But Isabella looked like she was afraid to hope. With that Miranda rushed after Kanda. He most likely left her while she was reassuring the others.

Miranda was surprised to see Kanda still standing in his previous spot with his arms crossed. He was obviously aggravated. When Miranda caught up with him he sent her a glare that made Miranda duck her head.

"What took you so long?"

"I –I was just making sure everyone was okay…" Miranda muttered shyly.

"There's no time for that! Lets get going." He ordered.

They wandered around the town searching for another sinkhole but to no avail. The town looked as if it was in ruins. The small houses were toppled over as if an earthquake had hit it. Multiple times. The only seemingly untouched building in the entire town was Maria's home.

"Eeep!" Miranda squealed as she tripped over a fallen piece of debris. She whimpered as she began to pick herself off the ground. She let out another frightened yelp as a shadow loomed over her. She looked up to see Kanda's scowling face. Miranda barely had time to calm her overactive heart before Kanda grabbed her wrist and pulled her roughly off the ground.

"Clumsy." He muttered to himself as her dragged the startled Miranda forward.

xXx

"This looks like fun." Tyki commented.

"More like it looks too easy." Road replied.

"What's got you in a foul mood?"

"Nothing. I'll tell you later…maybe" Road mumbled the last part to herself. She wasn't stupid, of course she knew that if she to Tyki about her real problem he would only get on her nerves with unnecessary comments about her pointless love and she sure as hell was not gonna deal with that. Especially if the Earl hears about it.

"Well looks like the gangs all here." Road jeered. She glared at Allen's cool composure.

"I'll take her on." Tyki said pointing to Lenalee. "You can take on Walker right?"

Road nodded, though every fiber of her being denied this. Allen calmly approached her. All she could do was stare back at him. She tried her best to keep up her detached façade but Allen eyes pierced right through it. Behind her mask she was like a wounded puppy who refused to quarrel with its once, loving master.

Well Road?" Allen questioned

Rage engulfed Road. Where does he come off? The past few days she couldn't get him out of her mind and he returned to her after what seemed to be forever and treats her as if he never kissed her! Road may have made the first move but Allen sealed the deal. Her threatening gaze slid to a woman in knee high black boots and of course, a short, revealing skirt that made Road's skirt look proper. Her figure was merely a shadow in the distance.

_Lenalee_

Road clutched Lero in her fist. Lero squawks of pain were completely ignored by Road. In an instant all went black around Allen and Road.

xXx

"There's One!" Kanda shouted. "It's disappearing!"

Miranda quickly activated her innocence and stopped time around the sinkhole giving her and Kanda time to catch up to it. As they reached the sinkhole Miranda's footsteps slowed and she began to become hesitant again.

"Well it's just that um…" Miranda mumbled to herself while staring at the hole in the ground. Who knew where it leads? Miranda's overactive imagination was so busy thinking of the different types of horrible places the sinkhole could take her, that she didn't notice Kanda taking a hold of her arm. He swung the cowering Miranda toward the remaining Sinkhole She gasped as she fell head first into the sinkhole.

"You may want to close your mouth." She heard Kanda say as he jumped in after her before the hole had time to close.

At First it felt as though she was drowning in a sandy ocean. Miranda thrashed around trying to find air, but the she felt it. She was slowly felt herself falling. The sands grip was loosening underneath her. And then she was free. Free falling. But the fall was short lived and she landed with a thump on a cold floor that felt like earth.

"K-Kanda?!" Miranda called out into the darkness.

She slowly got to her knees trying to find something, and crawled on the ground anything that would help her determine her whereabouts. But all that was there to find was dirt. She strained her eyes against the dark, hoping they would adjust. Suddenly someone placed a cold hand on Miranda's shoulder. She shrieked out in the darkness as she spun around flailing her arms hoping to fight off her unseen attacker. The attacker grasped Miranda by her wrists and pulled her toward itself.

"Will you cut that out?!" the attacker growled.

"Oh! Kanda! Y-you scared me!" Miranda put a hand over her beating heart once Kanda released her.

"I didn't notice." He replied sarcastically. "Now come on I think I found something."

"W-wait! Where are you? I can't see anything!"

Kanda rolled his eyes in the darkness before guiding the frantic Miranda to their destination.

xXx

Allen's eyes surveyed his surroundings carefully. Dark cloudy shadows went surrounded him as far as the eye could see. The floor he stood upon was checkered black and purple. Spiral striped candles that ended in a point sharp enough to kill floated in mid-air bringing a small ounce of eerie light to the environment.

"You betrayed me Allen" roads angry voice echoes through the abyss. "I trusted you and now you're here with that girl to fight for what Tyki and I got first."

"You can't expect me to give up fighting for the exorcists, for what's right." Allen replied. His voice unwavering.

"So you choose them over me?!" the voice shouts. The candles turn on their sides and fly towards Allen who dodges the expected attack. A lump forms on the ground in front of Allen. It continued to grow until it reaches Allen height. The checkered tile melts down revealing A dejected looking Road. Her pails skin now a dull grey, Crosses tattooed across her forehead. "Allen, It doesn't have to be this way." She pleaded. "Join us."

Allen closed his eyes as if contemplating the offer. Road looked hopefully at him awaiting his answer.

"You know my answer to that Road." Allen spoke firmly his eyes re-opened and shined with determination. "This isn't working."

"W-what do you mean?" Fear apparent in her eyes.

"Road it's too difficult. We're on completely different sides. There's no possible way to end this without someone getting hurt." Allen sighed, avoiding Road's eyes. He was explaining as best as he could, hoping not to damage the now childish looking Road. He was a fool to think his gentle tone of voice would soothe the raging girl.

"The only one who's going to get hurt…IS YOU!" Road screamed as her candles flew at the unsuspecting exorcist.

_Your wrong Road_

Allen reflected all but two.

_You're hurt by this just as much as I am._

He winced as they cut into his cheek and shoulder.

_I can see it in your eyes; can't you see it in mine?_

Road blinked back tears of anger sorrow and dejection, and charged full speed at the now completely serious Allen Walker. Even as she tried to ignore it, there was no mistaking the regret in Allen's usually cheerful eyes.

_Don't look at me like that Allen. You hurt me. You knew you were hurting me. You're the reason this is all happening. And that is why I can't forgive you. _

Allen prepared to defend himself but suddenly, Roads world crumbled down before them. The cave and the large tree were visible again. Lenalee and newly arrived Kanda were panting from exhaustion and Miranda was busy making sure that their wounds didn't get any worse. Allen's eyes searched for Road. And he found her balancing on a root of the tree, the innocence fitting quite snug in the palm of her hand.

"Road!" Allen shouted. Roads eyes were shadowed as she glowered down at his hoping the tears leaking from her eyes were not visible.

"Tyki lets go." She said monotonously. Tyki smirked up at Road before retreating into the new door she created leading back to their home. He tipped his hat in farewell and stepped through. Road followed shortly after her last fleeting glance at the distraught Allen Walker.

_I'm not giving up on you Allen Walker. Besides it doesn't matter if you want to join us or not. Soon you wont have a choice. _

Road concluded to herself as the doors shut behind her.


End file.
